Bar feeding machine



May 14, 1940.

A. c. TOWNE ET AL 6 200.708

BAR FEIEDING MACHINE WIIWIIIW Filed Aug. 11, 1938 Invemiars m0 A. C. TOWNE ET AL v BAR FEEDING MACHINE May 14, 1940.

TIZZOTS May 14, 1940.

A. C. TOWNE ET AL, BAR FEEJ'JING MACHINE Filed Aug. 11, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 y 0- A. TOWNE ETAL 2.200.708

BAR FEEDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 11,1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ink/anions May 14, 1940.

A. c; TOWNE ET AL 2,200,708

BAR FEEDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 11, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 14, 1940 g UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE BAR FEEDING MACHINE Application August 11,1938, Serial No. 224,41

4. Claims. (01. 214-45) In brass and copper mills it is common practice to initially cast the metal in the form of large bars, slabs or ingots each weighing several hundred pounds, and then to feed the castings, one at a time, to successive pairs of rolls which draw or reduce the castings to various smaller sections for shipping or subsequent treatment or handling. Heretofore the feeding of such castings to the rolls has involved much hand work and. expense and the conveyors for assisting in the work have been unsatisfactory and inefficient.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel machine for feeding heavy bars] singly and automatically while maintaining accurate control thereof and affording adjustments to meet changing requirements of the rate of feed and other factors. v A particular object is toprovide a machine adapted to receive a pile or stack of heavy bars or the like and to automatically lift and tilt said pile to feed the bars singly from the top of the pile, under control, to a conveyor or other receptacle from which such bars are successively fed to the rolls.

Other objects will appear and be more fully pointed out in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate our improved machine:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

. Fig. 4 is a part plan view and part horizontal section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 5; i

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-4; of Fig. 4, and

Fig. '7 is a wiring diagram; showing suitable electric circuits and controls for our improved machine.

The machine has a receiving conveyor indicated generally by the numeral 8 and consisting of a series of parallel conveyor chains 9 trained on power-driven sprocket wheels l0 and freely rotating sprocket wheels H The wheels 10 are fixed on a shaft l2 extending across the machine in suitable bearings and arranged to be driven by an electric motor [3 through sprocket wheels I4 and a chain l5 (Figs. 1 and 2). The upper run of eachof the chains 9 extends horizontally and is supported on a horizontally extending guide channel l6 (Fig. 3.) Anti-friction rollers H are provided to support each link of the chain 9 on the channel l6 and the return or lower run of each chain is guided on a rail 53; To provide for adjustment of the tension of each of the chains 9 the several sprocket wheels H are mounted on shafts l9 having journal bearings which are slidable horizontally on the frame and engaged by horizontally extending screws 2 I. Each of these screws is freely revoluble in one of the bearing blocks 20 andis threaded in a pair of the nuts -22 engaging opposite faces of the fixed frame member 23. i

The conveyor 8 is arranged to receive and support piles or stacks of heavy metal bars or plates 24 and to carry them in the direction indicated by an arrow in Fig. 2 to a position above a series of lifting arms .25. As best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, each of these arms comprises a heavy ll-beam pivotally supported at one end on a shaft 26. Near its free end each of the arms 25 rests on a roller Z'Land the several rollers 21 are mounted on a horizontally extending beam 28 arranged to be guided for vertical movement between pairs of upright angle bars 29. Extending vertically beneath the beam 28 and suitably con- Z nected thereto, are two, horizontally spaced, power driven screw shafts 30. As best. shown in Fig. 6, each of these shafts 30 is threaded in an elongated nut 3| mounted concentrically in a largebevel gear 32.

- The gear 32 is revoluble in a thrust bearing 33 and arranged to be driven by a bevel gear 34 fixed on a horizontal shaft 35. This shaft extends across the machine and has the gears 34 secured to its ends for driving both of the gears 32. I

Suitable speed reducing mechanism in a casing 36 is arranged to drive the shaft 35 and power is supplied to the reducing mechanism by a large electric motor 31 or by a smaller motor 38, as

hereinafter described. A driving connection beit tween the motor 31 and ashaft 39 projecting from the casing 36 is established through a chain and sprocket wheels, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, and the shaft of the motor 38 extends directly into the casing 35. To make it unnecessary to drive the motor 3'! when the motor 38 is in operation, we employ a magnetic clutch 39a on the shaft 39 between the drive chain 40 and casing 36. The motor 3'! is employed to raise the beam 28 and arms 25 carrying the load and the motor 38 is employed to reverse the direction of motion of the load lifting mechanism at a higher speed, as hereinafter more fully described.

Inclined skids 4| are arranged to receive the Cir bars or plates 24 from the top of the pile as the latter is elevated and tilted on the arms 25. These skids 4| are disposed in spaced parallel relation to each other to deliver the plates or bars successively to a conveyor comprising powerdriven rollers 42 (Figs. 1 and 2). The rollers 42 are continuously driven through suitable chains and sprocket wheels to feed the bars to the rolls. The skids 4| are supported on a rigid framework comprising inclined angle bars 43 secured at their lower ends to vertical frame members 44 and at their upper or rear ends to arcuate frame members 45. The outer faces of the members 45 have bearing places 46 secured thereto to engage the edges of the bars 24 and guide them to their elevated positions where they are free to slide down the skids 4|.

The electric motors I3, 31 and 38 are inter,- mittently operated under control of electric circuits and switches. At the delivery end of the conveyor 8, I provide a series of switch arms 41 which normally project into the path of the bars 24 and are fixed on a rock shaft 41a extending across the machine and arranged to operate electric switches 48 and 49. The switch 48 controls the motor l3 so as to stop the conveyor 8 when a. group of bars 24 is in engagement with one or more of the switch arms 41. The switch 49 controls circuits for the large motor 31 to start the latter when the motor 3 is stopped. The motor 31, through the mechanism hereinbefore described, elevates the beam 28 carrying the arms 25 until the beam 28 strikes a pair of switch arms 50 and through these arms actuates a switch to stop the motor 31 and a switch 5|a which starts the motor 38. The latter reverses the elevating mechanism at an increased rate of speed until the beam 28 approaches the lower extremity of its movement, when said beam strikes a switch arm 52 (Figs. 5 and 6) which actuates a switch 53 for stopping the motor 38 and a switch 54 for starting the conveyor motor l3. This completes the cycle.

Suitable electric controls and circuits for the motors I3, 31 and 38 are shown diagramatically in Fig. '7. In one embodiment of our machine we employ a motor I3 of seven and one-half horse power and motors 31 and 39 respectively of five and one horse power. Manually operable switches 55, 56 and 51 are mounted in a group at a central control point. The magneticclutch 39a for disconnecting the elevating motor 31 when the lowering motor 38 is in operation is supplied with direct current from a circuit 58' under control of a timing relay 59. This relay is of the type which is normally open and produces a delay of about five seconds in the closing of the magnetic clutch circuit when energized but opens the circuit instantly when deenergized. The relay 59 is under control of a quick acting relay 68, the armature 6| of which normally closes the circuit for the relay 59, but is moved to open position when the coil of relay 68 is energized.

The motor 31 is of the type adapted to be operated at a plurality of difierent speeds and in the embodiment illustrated is of the twospeed type operated through a controller indicated generally by the numeral 62. This: controller has a solenoid 63 which, when energized,

causes the motor 31 to operate at a slow speed and a second solenoid 64 which when energized causes the motor to be operated at a higher speed. The switch 56 controls the speed of the motor 31 through the coils of solenoids 63 and 64 and the circuits illustrated, the switch being of the push button type which maintains contacts in its several positions to close the circuits respectively, including the solenoids 63 and 64. The motor 31 is also provided with a magnetic brake, the coils of which are indicated by the numeral 65, to insure the quick stopping of the motor when the coils 65 are ale-energized. A controller for the motors 31 and 38 is indicated generally by the numeral 66 and the current supply lines for these motors are indicated at 61. This supply is of the three-phase type and branches of the lines 61 are provided for the motor l3 which is operated through a controller 69 of common type. As the controllers 62, 66 and 69 are standard electrical equipment, details of the internal circuits will be readily understood three limit switches are normally open. The circuits, including these switches and the manually operable switches 55, 56 and 51, will be understood by reference to Fig. 7. l

Operation When the machine is to be placed in operation the master switch 55 is closed and the speed of the motor'31 is'controlled by'the switch 56. In general, if short bars are to be fed to the conspeed while for the longer bars slower speed is required to allow time for the conveyor 42 to clear the path of the successive bars.

Stacks of bars 24 are deposited on the conveyor 42, the motor 3l is operated at the'higher veyor 8 by the use of a suitable crane. A single bar 24 may weigh as much as one thousand pounds, and a single stack may weigh from one to four tons, depending on the dimensions and number of the bars in a stack. The conveyor 8 is suficiently long to receive a number of -such--' stacks extending approximately at right angles to the chains 9, as indicated in Fig. 1. To feed the bars successively to the conveyor 42, the motor I3 is started by closing the master switch 55, the limit switches 48 and 49 being closed This causes the several chains 9 to be moved in unison to carry a stack of bars 24 in the direction indicated by an arrow in Fig. 2 until they engage and actuate the switch arms 41-. When these arms, or any of them, areactuated, the

switches 48 and 49 cause the motor I3 to stop and the motor 31 to start. Operation of the motor 31 causes the beam 28 to be elevated slowly, through the mechanism 'hereinbefore described, to simultaneously pivot the several arms.v

25 on the shaft 26, while lifting and tilting the stack of bars 24 in sliding contact with the guide plates 46. The rate of lifting movement is sufliciently slow to allow the bars carried by the arms 25 to slide off the top of the stack, sue- As each bar is de-.

from the arms 25, the beam 28 strikesthe switch arm 5|], as indicatedin dotted lines in Fig. 6,, and actuates the switches 5! and 55a, to stopthe motor 31 and start the motor 38. switch 5m, starts the motor 38 and causes the relay 60 to be energized. This relay opens the circuit through the timing relay 59 so that the latter closes the circuit 58 to energize the magnetic clutch 39a. This clutch operates instantly engaged position and the lowering motor 38 is, allowed to come to a gradual and complete stop.

Upon the closing of the switch 56, the motor 53 actuates the conveyor 8 to move another stack of the bars 24 to the lifting and tilting mechanism.

and is entirely automatic, except for the occasional operation of the switches 56 and 51.

The feeding of the bars is coordinated with the conveying and rolling mechanism and we provide for stopping our feeding machine instantaneously. This is desirable because an emergency stop may be required at any time during the cycle of operation. To stop the machine, the operator merely opens the switch 55. The normally open switch 5'! is provided to start the machine after an emergency stop which may occur while the switch 49 is open. As the switch 5? is in parallelwith the switch 49, the machine may be started by momentarily closing the switch 5T after a stop with the switch 49 open.

Obviously, a multiple speed motor, such as the common slip-ring type of motor, may be substie tuted for the two-speed motor 31 or mechanical change speed mechanism may be employed with a single speed motor drive to vary the rate of feeding the bars to the top of the skids Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: 1. Ina bar feeding machine, a plurality of spaced, parallel arms pivotally supported for tilting movement about a common horizontal axis and arranged to extend laterally beneath a stack of long, relatively narrow bars to be separated, an upwardly extending guide for the front edges of bars on said arms, a skid extend-l 2. A bar feeding machine comprising, a tiltable support for a stack of long and relatively Closing the It will be evident that the machine requires no manual movement of the heavy bars,

thin metal bars, said support being tiltable about a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of said bars on said support, means for delivering said bars successively, edgeways from the top of a stack on said tiltable support, reversible mechanism for raising and tilting said support together with a stack of bars thereon and for lowering the support to bar-receiving position, electric elevating and reversing motors respectively adapted to actuate said mechanism toraise and lower said support, means connecting said mechanism, to said reversing motor to lower said support at an increased rate of speed, electric circuits including said motors and limit switches severally operable by the bars on said support and by said mechanism, said switches being included in said circuits and arranged to automatically start and stop said motors at the upper and lower limits of movement of said mechanism.

3. A bar feeding machine comprising, a horizontally extending receiving conveyor for a plurality of stacks of bars, each stack having a single bar in each tier, a tiltable support disposed at the delivery end of said conveyor and formed to receive a single stack of bars therefrom, said support being movable upwardly and tiltable about an axis extending longitudinally of the bars thereonand means for raising and tilting said support to discharge bars laterally therefrom then lowering said support to bar-receiving position and for actuating said conveyor to deliver another stack to said support comprising,

electric motors respectively for actuating said conveyor and for raising and lowering said support, electric circuits, including said motors and limit switches, severally operable by bar on said support and by the movement of said support to and from the upper and lower'positions and included in said circuit for automatically starting and stopping said motors at the limits of upward and downward movement of said support.

4. A bar feeding machine comprising, a horizontally extending receiving conveyor for a plurality of stacks of bars extending across said conveyor, each stack having a single bar in each tier, a tiltable support disposed at the delivery end of said conveyor to receive said stacks successively therefrom and to tilt and lift each stack successively about an axis removed horizontally from the bars thereon, power-driven means for raising and tilting said support and stack to separate the bars and discharge them from said support laterally and singly, means for delivering the bars singly and consecutively from the top of a stack on said support, means for returning said support to stack-receiving position, power-driven means for actuating said conveyor for feeding stacks successively to said support and a control for said conveyor arranged to be actuated upon the return of said support to stack-receiving position to operate said conveyor and a second control having a member in the path of bars on said support for stopping said conveyor,

ALBERT C. TOWNE.

LLOYD G. TINGWALL, SR. 

